Wireless Video Feeding Off Laptop

OK, I have about 1 yr old, perfectly updated DELL 1700 series laptop. It came with W10 home edition.
I use it every evening or so to stream a video off internet site. A movie. I have "smart" TV but its smartness sucks internet browsing wise, it's much easier to simply watch it off laptop.
So far, as Chromecast glitches or drops connection continuously, I ran video feed via a long HDMI cable.
As of the last few weeks, video feed goes interrupted. Screen on TV goes back for few seconds, then connection restores. From once in a while glitch it now became a continuous problem. I am suspicious HDMI port in laptop is acting up but, whatever the reason is, it's 21st century, right, so why bother with cables at all?
Laptop is miracast set from the factory.
I looked high and low and bought Actiontec dongle as it had best consumer reviews on Amazon.
After over 2 hrs of complete frustration this morning, it refuses to connect to laptop. Called tech support, did whatever settings trickery I could only think of - it shows in Devices, apparently works fine - will not connect.
I am returning it but, before I jump onto something else, I'd ask here.

Anyone can recommend actually easily connecting dongle OR alternative method to stream off laptop? Actiontec was not cheapo something, $54. I am considering either Belkin dongle or Microsoft one, but they both had worse ratings than Actiontec.
I don't think I am that dumb computer wise. I had - per AT support - W Defender disabled, network connection to media devices enabled, I turned off every sign of a firewall I could find, rebooted everything about 6 times. No go. Oops, something went wrong message on the screen, that's it. Laptop and dongle talked to each other, as it showed in my "connect to" screen and "connecting" will run on TV. But that was it.

Anyway. Any recommendations?

Thank you

 

He says Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter. Sorta makes sense, considering i'm on Windows. Simile in similibus.

 

Ahhh... Why? Dongle is WiFi adapter, as far as I know, that connects to PC/laptop via WiFi, unlike Chromecast that is Bluetooth? Isn't it direct dongle to PC connection?

 

Maybe I'm missing something here, but this is the setup I use with my chromecast ultra.

Chromecast is not bluetooth, it has a NIC and can receive IP addresses from your dhcp server (router), so this is what should be utilized.

My chromecast is in the hdmi port on the smart tv, with its power source heading to the adapter board.
I hooked the smart tv (yes it has a nic too), to my home wifi router within the tv's config settings.

Because my destop/laptop/server and all the other crap are also on the same network, i can stream from any device to the chromecast.
Netflix, Youtube....anything?